Car-coupling



(No Model.)

R. MORRIS.

GAR COUPLING. N0. 800,789. Patented June 24, 1884.

INVENTOR BY mm I ATTORNEY Ilnirrn STATES ATENT rrrcn.

ROBERT MORRIS, OF LA CROSSE, XVISCONSIN.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 300,789, dated June 24,1884.

Application filed May 8, 1884. (No model.)

1'0 all 1072,0711. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ROBERT MoRRIs, of La Crosse, in the county of LaGrosse and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Stirrups for the Cushions of Draw-Bars; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of theinvention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters of reference marked thereon, whichform a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that part of a carcoupler known as the stirrup,and to the means for and manner of securing it to the draw-bar.

In the drawings, Figure lis a side elevation of a draw-bar, showing myimprovedstirrup as applied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the stirrup strap. Fig. 4 is a detail view showingthe end of the draw-bar to which the stirrupstrap is attached, and Fig.5 shows the construction of the common drawbar and stirrup now in use. I

Reference being had to the drawings, A represents a draw-bar and head ofthe usual construction, having the vertical dimensions of the end madegreater, so as to form shoulders a a on the upper and under surfaces,against which the ends of the stirrup-strap B bear when in position, soas to form a greater resistance to the strain to which said stirrup issubjected when in use.

In the old form of freight-car draw-bars in current use, and as shown inFig. 5, the shoulders a a are at right angles 'to the upper and lowersurfaces, and extend laterally in a straight line from side to side; andthe strap B has its ends bent at right angles to the 1011- gitudinalarms of the stirrup to lap over the shoulders a, and a bolt, 0, properlysecured by a nut, passes through the strap and through the increasedvertical dimensions of the 0011- tiguous end of the draw-bar, as shown.Now, when it is considered what a great strain the stirrup is subjectedto, it will be obvious that most of the strain must be borne by thatportion of the bolt passing through the strap. The bolt will therefore,when in constant use or subjected to a great strain, be cut or bro kenoff, thus'throwing all the strain on the ends of the stirrup, which, notbeing able to stand it, are pulled off the draw-bar. In order to avoidthe objectionsthus set forth, I double or bend back the ends of thestrap 13 onto its length to form hooks b b, the ends of which bearagainst the shoulders a (L. Then I secure said strap in position bypassing a bolt, 0, laterally through the twothieknesses of the strapmade by the hook, and through the contiguous vertical portion of the barA, thus giving that portion of the bolt passing through the strap agreater resisting surface than can be had by the common stirrup anddraw-bar hereinbefore explained, and relieving considerable of thestrain from the same by having the ends of the strap bear againstshoulders a a.

If desired, the shoulders a a may be inversely beveled, as shown in thedrawings, and the ends of the straps beveled the reverse of that of theshoulders. This construction would help resist the tendency of thestraps to slip off the said shoulders. slight oscillation of thedraw-bars, especially when the cars to which they are attached areturning curves, I give the shoulders a a slight inverse curvetransversely from side to side of the said bar, and curve theextremities of the hooks the obverse of that of the shoulders. Thisconstruction permits such oscillation without injury to the bolt 0. Inorder to give additional strength to that part of the drawbar throughwhich the bolt passes, I bulge or curve outward the vertical sidesthereof adjacent to said bolt, thus increasing the lateral dimensions atthat point.

IVhile I prefer to have the shoulders a in- .verselybeveled and curvedtransversely, and

to have a corresponding conformation of the extremities of the hookedpart of the stirrupstrap, yet such construction is not absolutelynecessary, for my improved stirrup having the hooked ends can be usedwith the common form of draw-bar (shown in Fig. to great advantage byplacing the bolt 0 through the hooked ends, instead of through thelength, of said stirrup.

WVhat I claim as new is-.

As there is usiu lly a V 1. A stirrup-strap for the cushions ofdrawbars, consisting of a U-shaped strap having its ends doubled inwardonto its length to form hooks, the extremities of which are in tended tobear against the shoulders formed by stepping or increasing the verticaldimensions of the contiguous end of the draw-bar.

2. The combination, with a drawbar' having the vertical dimensions ofits end increased to form shoulders, as shown, of a U-shapedstirrup-strap having the ends thereof doubled,

extremities of which are beveled the reverse of the shoulders a a, andbolt O, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with a draw-bar having shoulders a a, and havinganinverse transverse curvature, of a stirrup-strap having hooks b, theextremities of which are curved the obverse of shoulders a a, and aboltpassing through the two thicknesses made by said hooks, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereunto affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

' ROBERT MORRIS.

W'itnesses: Y

CHAS. B. MILLER, FRANK. I). Ti-ronnson.

